Grey Sky Blues_An Inspector Thomas Sullivan Thriller

by K. C. Sivils

  Still, it had quieted things down.

  "I DEMAND TO KNOW WHERE you are leading me," MacAuliffe whined, coming to a halt to catch his breath and wipe the sweat dripping from his brow.

  Stopping, Gravestone turned and with no emotion stared at the man. “To the elevator at the end of this corridor. It will take us to the surface and a waiting four-man shuttle. Does that meet with your approval James?”

  Ignoring the blonde’s bitter sarcasm, MacAuliffe resumed shuffling towards the elevator he could now see in the distance. Gravestone let the man pass her, taking the lead.

  His avenue of escape in sight, MacAuliffe hurried faster, reaching the elevator before Gravestone. Glancing behind him, MacAuliffe motioned with impatience for Gravestone to catch up. He pressed the control of the elevator and watched the doors slide open. Turning around as he stepped in, a puzzled expression came over his face. Gravestone hadn't moved. She was quietly smiling her cold, hateful smile.

  “Andrea, aren’t you coming?”

  “Not where you’re going, James.”

  He watched as Gravestone pushed the controls and stepped back. Her mocking laugh rang in his ears as the elevator rushed to the surface.

  “No! No!” MacAuliffe pounded the interior controls in a desperate attempt to stop the elevators rapid rush to the barren surface of Persephone, the surface with no atmosphere. With a jerk, the converted freight elevator stopped, and the doors opened, venting the elevator's limited air.

  MacAuliffe’s body joined that of the three battered combatants lying on the moon’s harsh and unforgiving surface.

  “SHE’S NOT WAKING UP!”

  Sarah was getting frantic as we hurried down the tunnel. Dmitry pointed ahead. In the distance was an elevator.

  “That will take us to the airlock. From there it will be just a few minutes by ground shuttle to the prison. The doctor there will be able to care for your sister.”

  I picked up my pace, carrying Ellie in a bridal carry. Sarah matched me stride for stride, occasionally running to keep pace.

  “Please Sully, I didn’t mean to hurt Ellie like this.”

  “We’ll get there, I promise.”

  I didn’t notice the footsteps behind.

  HOVERING OVER PERSEPHONE, a large cruiser cast a shadow as it glided through the void. Using thrusters the vessel bleed off its forward momentum, losing velocity in the process.

  Standing behind the rows of technicians was a lone figure, watching the monitoring of communications data.

  Elsewhere in the bowels of the craft, men donned self-contained body armor and prepared for a drop to the surface below.

  It never amazed the individual in charge how humanity could invest so much effort and resources into wild ventures instead of truly productive enterprises.

  He had to remind himself it was this very reason he held a position of power and responsibility. Somebody had to be trusted with the task of maintaining order, saving humanity from its own instinct for self-destruction.

  “ETA fifteen minutes, sir.”

  “Have my personal landing craft ready.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  THE HUMMING BUZZ OF the elevator stopped, and the doors opened. Chaos prevailed as fearful patrons, never imagining they might suffer the consequences of their illegal actions wailed and protested in a mix of anger, fear, and resentment.

  Still carrying Ellie in my arms, I followed Dmitry as he hurried past the crowd and the officers trying to maintain control. Sarah clutched my jacket to keep pace, and the good Father followed.

  Reaching the shuttle airlock, Dmitry stopped and turned.

  “On the other side is the ground shuttle.”

  I turned and handed Ellie’s comatose body to Father Nathan. Badge and peacemaker in hand, I assaulted the airlock door.

  The video viewer turned on, revealing the scowling face of Bill, my C.I.

  “Open the door.”

  “Why? I was told not to.”

  I pointed the barrel of my projectile weapon at the view screen. Bill got the message.

  “Cycle the outer door shut,” I ordered. Sarah pressed the controls and grabbed my jacket again. The pressure equalized and the inner door cycled open, revealing the boarding door of the ground shuttle.

  I barged aboard first, brushing Bill aside. Sarah followed and hurried back to the passenger area with Father Nathan close behind. Dmitry busied himself by closing the airlock and securing the shuttle hatch.

  I opened the ground shuttle door to find the pilot and co-pilot eating in their seats.

  “Change in flight plans.”

  Annoyed his simple meal had interrupted, the pilot angrily looked up at me. “Under whose orders?”

  Badge in my left hand and weapon in my right, I answered.

  “My orders. We need to get a victim to the medical facilities at Graham.”

  “I have orders from Captain Markeson...”

  He seemed to think better of it and fell silent, tossing his half-eaten meal in the waste disposal unit. Following the lead of the pilot, the co-pilot did the same, and the pair began their pre-flight checklist. With in minutes, we were airborne, flying to Graham.

  “SALLY, I NEED YOUR help.”

  I can see that Dale. Has Andrea’s colossal scheme finally collapsed around her?

  “You could say that.” Corona’s hands shook so badly he couldn’t enter the correct code into his office lock. “I need to get off Persephone.”

  I suppose you’ll need your funds forwarded?

  The frightened warden stopped upon entering his office. “I hadn’t thought of that. Yes, of course. To the account I provided you with earlier. Then delete the file.”

  What are you looking for Dale?

  “Anything that connects me to things I shouldn’t have done,” he answered, pocketing the drives containing the files condemning him.

  He grabbed his heavy coat from the coat rack and left his office.

  Perhaps a fire would be helpful about now Dale?

  “What? No!” Corona stopped in the corridor and looked up at the CCTV camera. “Too many inmates have died for my sins. No fire.”

  I was referring to a fire in your office. To make sure nothing you might have left could be recovered.

  Corona smiled at the sarcasm of the A.I.

  “You’re right as usual Sally.”

  One fire, coming up.

  Sally watched Corona flee to the tiny prison spaceport. He’d left his four-man shuttle there. Following Corona by CCTV as he fled, Sally sent a massive, high amperage power surge through the older wiring in his office. Sparks emitted as the wiring burned in two. With the increased oxygen Sally pumped in through life support, the sparks burned hotter and brighter. In seconds, the furnishing had caught flame, emitting caustic, poisonous smoke fumes. Pleased, Sally set off the fire alarm.

  AMAZED AT THE STUPIDITY of men and how easily they underestimated a beautiful woman, Gravestone waited until the indicator showed the elevator had reached the surface and deposited its unwitting cargo with the bodies from the morning's fights.

  Like Corona, Gravestone had a four-man shuttle hidden by a former maintenance entrance to the mines. She would be at the spaceport in two hours and on an outgoing spaceliner shortly afterward. All she needed was access to a computer terminal, and she'd be able to save a significant portion of the Society's winnings from the morning.

  The red indicator light above the elevator doors turned off. MacAuliffe was dead. Gravestone reached back and took down the tight bun and shook out her long, luscious blonde hair. She smiled at the thought of the uptight MacAuliffe’s realization he’d been outsmarted by a woman just before he died.

  Turning to leave, Gravestone took one step and stopped.

  “I wouldn’t try a thing.”

  “Who are you?”

  "Your replacement," the man replied. The blonde scanned him quickly. Tall and immaculately groomed, dressed in a custom tailored silk, pin stripe navy suit, the man calmly aimed a pro
jectile weapon at Gravestone. She noticed the assorted gold adornments and accessories the man wore. The look suited him well, right down to the badge hanging from a lanyard around his neck.

  “You must be the detective James was prattling on and on about weeks ago.”

  “One and the same.”

  She laughed and took a step forward, reaching for the small phase pistol in her purse. “Look, this is all a big misunderstanding.” Gravestone exaggerated the roll of her hips as she smiled, moving closer to Markeson.

  “Stop.”

  "We can work this out. I just need to spend a few weeks off world, and when everything is back to normal, you and I can meet over drinks and resolve this." She batted her eyes at him slowly, smiling her most sultry smile.

  “Nah, I think I like it better if you resist arrest.”

  “Oooh, that sounds like fun too,” Gravestone purred, oozing sexuality.

  “Not for you.”

  Disoriented from the sudden loud noise, Gravestone stumbled back a couple of steps. Puzzled by the strange, cold sensation in her chest Gravestone looked down. Blood trickled in a rapid stream down her blouse.

  She looked up at Markeson in a fury. "You ruined my silk blouse!"

  Her vision blurred before she fell to the floor. Markeson leaned over before the sociopath faded away into oblivion.

  “You are not even close to the caliber of woman I associate with. Your charms would never have worked on me.”

  He laughed long and hard as Gravestone’s lungs gave a final exhale and the death rattle passed from her lips.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  DMITRY WORKED THE LOCKS again. I waited with weapon drawn as Father Nathan carried the still unconscious Ellie. A loud alarm was blaring as we made our way into the prison.

  “Fire,” Dmitry said firmly. “A distraction, nothing more. Do not concern yourselves with this. Follow me.”

  We hurried down the corridor and past the abandoned security kiosk. Red lights flashed in time with the alarm’s klaxon horn.

  Dmitry skidded to a stop, his arm raised behind him in warning. Warden Corona stood blocking the intersection of corridors, a weapon raised in his hand.

  “Get out of my way.”

  “Put the weapon down,” I ordered.

  “I don’t want to hurt anyone else. I’m leaving. But if you don’t get out of my way, you’ll leave me no choice.”

  I laughed at the frail, frightened looking man. Corona had aged years in the last few days.

  "I mean it, Sullivan."

  “I know you do Corona. You’ll never get the shot off though.”

  His eyes gave him away. He was going to shoot regardless of what we did.

  I put a .50 caliber copper jacketed lead round between his eyes. I walked over to the body and looked down at the dead warden. He wasn’t one I’d lose any sleep over.

  “Sully, come quick!”

  Sarah’s voice snapped me around. Lying on the floor gasping was Dmitry.

  "Go, young lady," he whispered. "Father, take the sister. Go." He motioned weakly with his right hand.

  I kneeled by him as Father Nathan and Sarah rushed down the corridor towards the infirmary.

  Blood pumped from the wound in my friend’s chest. “Hang on. I’ll get you to the infirmary.”

  “Nyet. I lived to see this man die. Gravestone will get what is coming to her. You will see to it if it comes to that, da?"

  “Dmitry...”

  “Sullivan, you have integrity. I respect that. I am tired of the games we play here. Today, for a moment, I was a free man. I did the right thing for once. I made a vow to myself...” He gasped, taking in a gulp of air. Dmitry grabbed my hand and pulled it to the center of his chest. “I vowed I would die free. That my last act would be a good thing.”

  Tears fell from my eyes. I had no words to give him.

  “It is okay, da? I die with a friend, keeping my vow. It is good business, da, Inspector?”

  “It is good business, Dmitry.”

  “The killer is Sally,” he whispered. “You must destroy that evil device. It corrupted Corona long before Gravestone got her hooks into him.” His chest heaved painfully as a racking cough rattled through his lungs. I watched as his eyes wandered, finally fixing on the grey-black stone of the ceiling. “Inspector, how did you do it, my friend?”

  “Do what, Dmitry?”

  “The sky is grey, just as it is on my home world.”

  I nodded as he took his last breath and let go. The light in his eyes faded quickly as the life drained from him.

  I closed his eyes and stood over my friend. I made a promise to myself Father Nathan himself would give Dmitry an Orthodox funeral on Beta Prime. His remains would be interned in a proper grave in the cemetery of my friends’ parish. Dmitry would rest with other free citizens. He’d paid for his crimes.

  Pulling the comm from my pocket, I messaged Father Nathan, telling him Dmitry was gone. He messaged back Ellie would make it. Internal bleeding from the beating Sarah had given her and a severe concussion, but it was the sort of thing the medical staff treated all the time from fights in the prison.

  I thought for a moment and then shared with the good Father what Dmitry had told me about the killer we’d come to find.

  ALARMED BY SULLY’S message and the fact the Inspector was alone; Father Nathan admonished Sarah not to leave her sister’s side.

  He grabbed one of the orderlies and demanded to know where the prison A.I. was housed. The orderly blurted out directions that would get him where he needed to go.

  He just had to get there before the A.I. killed Sully.

  Shaking his head at the behavior of the well-dressed man with cheap shoes, the orderly went about his business.

  Sarah sat next to her sister. Ellie was strapped to a prison gurney, one designed specifically to restrain dangerous inmates. The two had not spoken since Ellie had regained consciousness.

  “So, you couldn’t bring yourself to do it,” Ellie whispered.

  “Didn’t need to do it, so it’s a non-issue.”

  “You’re a coward Sarah. I would have finished you.”

  One glance at Ellie’s expression and Sarah knew her sister was telling the truth.

  “I did what I had to do,” Sarah answered. “The easy thing would have been to kill you.”

  Ellie seemed to drift away for a moment. Tired of the strain, Sarah was content to let her do so.

  “You know,” Ellie whispered, her eyes still closed. “You might live to regret that choice.”

  Sarah stared at her sister, confused and frightened by the strange mix of conflicting emotions at war inside her.

  “No, Ellie,” she answered taking her sister’s hand in her own. “That’s where you’re wrong. I’m not you.” Sarah grinned, wishing her sister was still conscious and aware to hear the words she spoke. “I’m the better sister, the stronger one. You need me to take care of you.”

  I MADE MY WAY TOWARDS the infirmary. Blood covered my hands, my shirt and probably places I hadn’t even noticed yet. I was numb. Too much death and suffering and for what? Sarah was safe, and that was enough for the moment. I was going to gather her and Father Nathan up, and we were going home.

  Ellie was staying put. Prison was right where she needed to be. That or a psych ward for the criminally insane.

  Once we were at the space station, I'd comm Markeson and Josephson and fill them in. Gravestone was a looker. Markeson would like dealing with her. I slowed to remember which turn to take. Then I heard it, the disembodied voice.

  You killed my Dale!

  “Is this Sally?”

  Who else you murderer!

  “Sally, I had no choice.”

  He was only going to kill Dmitry, that worthless Russian.

  “Sally, he was going to shoot all of us,” I said firmly.

  You don’t know that!

  “Sally, I can read people, especially when they have murder in their eye.”

  Can you read what’s
in my eyes Inspector!

  I felt uneasy and looked around for the CCTV camera that had to be present, allowing the monster to watch me. Taunt me. On either end of the corridor, steel riot doors slammed shut, trapping me.

  You’re going to feel my rage Inspector! I would have punished Dale when it was time. I knew his weaknesses, his sins! But it wasn’t your decision to make!

  I was trapped, and I knew it. Figured I might as well irritate the thing before it killed me.

  “Yeah, it was. I get paid to make those decisions. It’s why the Alliance lets me carry the weapons I do. So I can put down scum like Corona. He was responsible for the care and safety of the inmates here!”

  I could hear the hiss of air escaping slowly into the ventilation system. I reached for my comm.

  I've jammed it, Inspector. You won't be able to tell your friend, the priest. He can say his words over your stiff, cold, dead body when they find you.

  Those men were criminals Inspector. They deserved whatever happened to them. It was my Dale’s choice to decide what happened to them!

  “That’s not how justice is supposed to work,” I told the A.I.

  Well, Inspector, today I decide how justice is going to be served. It will be pleasant watching you slowly suffocate.

  KICKING THE DOOR TO the server room, Father Nathan rushed in through the shattered doors. He looked around the dimly lit room. Four augmented inmates were busy, heads jerking in robotic movements, their eyes glassy as they functioned in a virtual world.

  He grabbed a cable running from a port in the man’s chest to just behind his ear and ripped it out. Screaming in agony, the augmented clapped his hands to his ears and began rocking back and forth.

  “Where is the A.I. housed?”

  A constant, steady, low-pitched scream was the augmented’s response.